Chinstrap assembly

ABSTRACT

A chinstrap assembly for a helmet having opposite sides and a face opening includes a chin protector and first and second straps extending from the opposite sides of the helmet to opposite ends of the chin protector. A cinching device at each end of the chin protector receives an outgoing segment of the corresponding strap, grips the strap and redirects an incoming segment thereof so that by applying a lateral/rearward tensile force to that incoming segment, the length of the outgoing segment may be set to a selected value which is maintained when the tensile force is relieved.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to protective headgear. It relates more specifically to a chinstrap assembly for use therewith.

2. Background Information

Protective headgear such as a helmet is used widely in games and other physical activities to help protect the wearer from head injury which can result from impact forces due to contact with other people or with objects.

Nearly all helmets include some sort of device for securing the helmet to the wearer's head. Most commonly, these devices involve a chinstrap assembly designed to retain the helmet on the user's head and to protect the user's chin from the force of an impact. Typically such chinstrap assemblies include a chin protector and adjustable straps or strap segments which connect opposite ends of the chin protector to the helmet at opposite sides of the helmet's face opening. The lengths of the chinstraps may be adjusted to draw down and seat the helmet on the user's head and to place the chin protector against the chin. In other words, the strap assembly can adjust the distance between the chin protector and the helmet.

Helmets equipped with conventional chinstrap assemblies are disadvantaged in that the distance between the chin protector and the helmet is set solely at the buckles which releasably fasten the straps to the helmet. Therefore, the helmet cannot be fitted ergonomically to the head using those straps.

Another disadvantage is that the usual chinstrap assembly is not particularly comfortable to wear for a prolonged period. In addition, it may not sufficiently resist upward forces applied to the helmet via its facemask, with the result that, in use, the helmet can become disengaged from the wearer's head.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved helmet chinstrap assembly which is easy to use.

A further object is to provide such an assembly which may fit a helmet to a user's head ergonomically by way of the assembly's chinstraps.

Another object of the invention is to provide an assembly of this type which is especially comfortable to wear for a prolonged period.

A further object is to provide a chinstrap assembly whose chin protector can remain at fixed locations on the chinstraps even when the chinstraps are unfastened from the helmet.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a chinstrap assembly which is especially adapted to coact with outer and inner layers of an associated helmet to provide a snug and comfortable fit of the helmet to the wearer's head.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a helmet chinstrap assembly which may be fastened to and unfastened from the helmet readily while the helmet is on the wearer's head.

An additional object is to provide such an assembly which is particularly resistant to upward forces on the helmet to which it is attached.

Other objects will, in part, be obvious and will, in part, appear hereinafter. The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the following detailed description, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

In general, my assembly includes a chin protector and a pair of straps or strap segments having corresponding first ends anchored to the opposite sides of the helmet. Outgoing segments of the straps connect to opposite ends of the chin protector and the straps loop back via incoming segments toward an outer layer or shell of the helmet to which those incoming segments may be releasably fastened by suitable fastening means.

In accordance with the invention, in connecting to the chin protector, at least one strap extends through a cinching device, including a redirecting runner guide, hereafter referred to as a “fairlead”, present at the corresponding end of the chin protector. The cinching device grips the associated strap and may redirect same back toward the helmet, enabling the end of the incoming segment of that strap to be releasably fastened to the corresponding side of the helmet.

When the incoming strap segment of each strap is angled back toward the helmet, the corresponding cinching device exerts sufficient frictional drag on the associated strap to prevent that strap from sliding through its fairlead. On the other hand, when the incoming segment of that strap is angled laterally away from the outgoing segment thereof, its cinching device exerts less drag on the strap so that a moderate pulling force on the free, second, end of that strap is sufficient to slide that strap through the corresponding fairlead. In other words, each cinching device is able to get a firm hold on its associated strap, particularly when the outgoing and incoming segments of that strap are more or less parallel.

Thus, after donning the helmet and assuming that the chin protector has cinching devices at both ends, the wearer may simply pull the second ends of the two straps rearwardly and away from each other. These actions draw the chin protector against the wearer's chin. They also snug the helmet down around the wearer's head. When a suitable fit of the helmet and chin protector to the wearer's head has been achieved, the free, second ends of the two straps may be releasably fastened to opposite sides of the helmet. Such fastening preserves the strap redirection at each fairlead so that there is little or no strap slippage at the fairleads, resulting in the helmet remaining snugly fitted to the wearer's head.

When the wearer desires to move the chin protector away from his chin, he simply unfastens the second end of at least one of the straps, allowing the incoming segment of that strap to swing out laterally so that the corresponding cinching device exerts less drag on that strap. The wearer may then move the chin protector away from his chin. To refasten the helmet, the wearer may cinch up the loose strap and refasten its free, second end to the helmet shell.

To remove the helmet from his head entirely, the wearer may unfasten one or both straps and pull the helmet away from his head, the one or both straps sliding through the associated fairlead(s) to enable such removal.

It is important to appreciate that the cinching devices help keep the helmet and chin protector in place. The fasteners which fasten the second ends of the straps to the helmet shell maintain the directionality of the incoming segments of the straps and thus the high drag exerted on the straps by the cinching devices. Therefore, the fasteners are not subjected to as much stress due to frontal impacts on the helmet as they would be in the absence of the cinching devices. Also, when the straps are unfastened from the helmet shell, the cinching devices inhibit the chin protector from moving relative to the straps. Therefore, the set distance between the chin protector and the helmet is preserved so that no adjustments are needed after the straps are refastened to the helmet shell.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a football helmet equipped with a chinstrap assembly incorporating my invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3A is a front view on a larger scale showing a part of the chinstrap assembly in greater detail;

FIG. 3B is a sectional view taken along line 3B-3B of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 3C is a fragmentary sectional view on a still larger scale illustrating the operation of the chinstrap assembly, and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a second chinstrap assembly embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, shown there is a helmet 8 having a semi-rigid outer layer 10 which may be a relatively hard plastic shell that deforms locally and radially in response to an impact, and an inner layer 12 which may be of a softer, less rigid material.

The helmet 8 preferably also includes a third, middle, layer between the outer and inner layers 10 and 12 and which comprises a plurality of compressible cells (not shown) which extend between the inner and outer layers, as well as a dynamic inner liner composed of a plurality of resilient pads or capsules (not shown) which are connected to the cells and project from the interior surface of the inner layer 12. In the illustrated helmet, the inner layer 12 is a flexible, molded plastic structure which includes a rear flange 12 a which extends up around the outside of shell 10 and is secured thereto by fasteners 19. A comparable flange 12 b at the front of layer 12 is similarly fastened to the shell 10 above face opening 8 a. A helmet such as this is described in more detail in my co-pending application Ser. No. 12/104,522, filed Apr. 17, 2008, entitled Headgear Securement System, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Helmet 8 is fitted with a chinstrap assembly indicated generally at 20 which includes a chin protector 22. While the chin protector may be connected to the helmet by way of straps extending to opposite sides of the helmet outer layer 10 as is done conventionally, more desirably, the strap assembly 20 connects to the opposite ends 26 a, 26 b of a belt 26 extending around inner layer 12 inside helmet layer 10 so that the assembly 20 is especially adapted to snug the layer 12 around the wearer's head as described in the above application.

Still referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, chinstrap assembly 20 includes a pair of similar straps or strap segments 38 a and 38 b having their respective first ends fitted with terminations 39 a and 39 b that encircle the belt ends 26 a and 26 b, respectively. In a conventional helmet, these terminations could be anchored to the inside or outside of the helmet shell 10. But in either event, the straps extend toward and support the opposite ends of chin protector 22. Thus, as best seen in FIG. 2, strap 38 a has an outgoing segment that extends from belt end 26 a to a cinching device shown generally at 22 a at one end of chin protector 22. At that cinching device, the strap passes through a fairlead 23 a and doubles back via an incoming segment toward the helmet. The free end of that incoming segment carries an adjustable buckle 42 which includes a snap fastener 42 a that may be snapped onto a mating snap fastener 44 at the corresponding side of helmet outer layer 10. Of course, other fastening means such as hooks, Velcro® strips, etc. may be employed to releasably fasten the incoming strap segments to selected locations on the helmet.

The strap 38 b likewise extends from the belt end 26 b to a cinching device 22 b at the other end of chin protector 22 where it passes through a fairlead 23 b and loops back via an incoming segment toward the helmet. The free end of that incoming segment may be releasably fastened in a similar way to the other side of the helmet 8 such as by the illustrated buckle 46 whose fastener 46 a may be releasably secured to a mating fastener 48.

If belt 26 is a single strap-like member as described in the above application, the straps 38 a, 38 b of assembly 20 may constitute integral extensions of that belt. In other words, in that event, the belt 26 may extend to the chin protector 20 and be slidably received in the fairleads 23 a, 23 b before looping back to opposite sides of the helmet. In any event, it is a feature of the invention that the spacing of the chin protector 22 from the helmet face opening 8 a is determined to a large extent at the cinching devices 22 a and 22 b as will be described presently.

As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the chin protector 22 includes a cupped outer shell 52, preferably of a rigid, lightweight plastic material. The fairleads 23 a and 23 b are formed at the opposite ends of that shell. Each fairlead comprises a generally rectangular notch 54 extending in from the corresponding end of shell 52 and a post 56 which spans the notch, that post being spaced from an inboard wall 54 a of the notch creating a gap G between the two that is slightly wider than the thickness of straps 38 a, 38 b.

Chin protector 22 also includes an inner liner 58 of a very soft, compliant rubber or plastic material. Liner 58 conforms more or less to shell 52 and has a raised resilient edge margin 58 a which engages over the edge of shell 52 as shown in FIG. 3A to releasably secure the liner to the shell. Preferably, the inner surface of the liner is completely or partially covered by a fabric sheet 59 with hydrophobic properties so that the chin protector 22 feels comfortable to the wearer. Sheet 59 may be co-extruded with the liner or constitute part of a sleeve which can be slipped onto the chin protector from one end.

In accordance with the invention, the fairleads 23 a, 23 b control the sliding motions of the straps 38 a and 38 b relative to the ends of the chin protector 22. More particularly, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3A and 3B, the strap 38 b extends from its termination 39 b to fairlead 23 b of cinching device 22 b where it is threaded through the gap G between the bottom wall 54 a of notch 54 and post 56. From there, the strap may wrap around that post to a degree.

The normal drag exerted by cinching device 22 b at fairlead 23 b due to the dimensions of gap G and the coefficients of friction of the post 56 and the strap surfaces is usually sufficient to keep the strap from sliding through the fairlead 23 b. Thus the fairlead contributes to the cinching device 22 b being able to get a firm hold on the strap. However, this hold on the strap may be overcome by the helmet wearer pulling outwardly/rearwardly on the incoming segment of strap 38 b as indicated by the arrow F in FIG. 3C so that the corresponding end of the chin protector 22 may be drawn closer to the helmet. Once the length of the outgoing strap segment has been set to the desired value, the cinching device maintains that value when the tensile force is relieved, even if the free end of the strap is loose.

However, in a game, the buckle 46 of strap 38 b is usually fastened to the helmet. Therefore, the segments of strap 38 b leading to and from the chin protector 22 approach and depart from post 56 tangentially and both extend back toward the helmet and are more or less parallel as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. Thus, strap 38 b wraps around post 56 up to a maximum angle of 180° so that the cinching device 22 b exerts even more drag on that strap. Resultantly, the strap does not tend to slip relative to fairlead 23 b. Rather, the strap 38 b will remain in a set position in its fairlead 23 b until buckle 46 is released from the helmet.

The strap 38 a is threaded through its fairlead 23 a in exactly the same way and the two coact to form the cinching device 22 a that maintains strap 38 a in a set position in fairlead 23 a unless the end of that strap is released from the helmet.

In some helmets, liner 58 may be formed at its opposite ends with a pair of mirror image extensions shown generally at 60 and 62. When present, these extensions may contribute to the aforesaid cinching devices 22 a and 22 b. Each extension 60, 62 includes a generally rectangular bridge 60 a supported at its opposite ends by a pair of elastic legs 60 b, 60 b which extend laterally from the corresponding end of liner 58. As best seen in FIGS. 3A and 3B, each bridge 60 a is angled outwardly, i.e. laterally, and spans the mouth of the associated notch 54. The length of its legs 60 b, 60 b is such as to position the bridge away from the corresponding post 56, leaving a space between the bridge and the post to receive the corresponding strap.

The extensions 60, 62 cooperate with the fairleads 23 a, 23 b respectively, to control the amount of drag exerted on the straps by the cinching devices. More particularly, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, after the strap 38 b wraps around post 56, it may be passed through the space between that post and the adjacent bridge 60 a of extension 62 so that the strap tends to be redirected back toward the helmet, ensuring a maximum degree of wrap around the post and thus a maximum drag exerted on the strap by the cinching device 23 b.

When the incoming segment of strap 38 b is pulled in the direction of arrow F as described above, the resilient or elastic legs 60 b, 60 b of extension 62 are stretched by the engagement of the strap against the underside of bridge 60 a as shown in FIG. 3C. Then, when the strap is released, the legs reassume their unstretched condition, causing bridge 60 a to return the outboard segment of strap 38 b to its position shown in FIG. 3B so that the strap again has a maximum degree of wrap around post 56.

The extension 60 cooperates with fairlead 22 a in the same way to help control the drag on strap 38 a.

When the helmet 8 is on a wearer's head, the buckles 42 and 46 may be unfastened from the helmet so that the chin protector 22 is suspended on straps 38 a and 38 b adjacent to the helmet face opening 8 a. The resilient extensions 60 and 62 of the chin protector maintain substantial wraps of the straps around the posts 56 at fairleads 23 a and 23 b and thus assure that the chin protector does not tend to slide along the straps.

Whether or not the extensions 60, 62 are present, once the helmet 8 is on the wearer's head, the helmet may be snugged around the head and the chin protector 22 drawn against the wearer's chin by his pulling outwardly/rearwardly on the free, incoming segments of the two straps 38 a and 38 b. Those actions will tension the belt 26, which will, in turn, snug the helmet inner layer 12 and liner around the wearer's head and position the chin protector 22 against the wearer's chin. Even if the wearer should release the free ends of the straps 38 a and 38 b, the cinching devices 22 a and 22 b with or without extensions 60, 62 will prevent the straps from sliding and thus maintain the set distance between the helmet and the chin protector. The wearer may then take the necessary time to fasten the strap buckles 42 and 46 to the opposite sides of the helmet. In other words, the position of the chin protector 22 relative to helmet 8 is set to a large extent by the cinching devices 22 a, 22 b in the chin protector 22

It will be appreciated that those buckles permit gross adjustments of the buckles along their respective straps to initially set a selected distance between the buckles and the fairleads 23 a and 23 b when the wearer first uses the helmet. Once those adjustments have been made, the buckles may be unfastened from and refastened to the helmet shell without any further adjustments of the buckles along their respective straps.

Note that when the shell of helmet 8 is subjected to frontal impacts during a game, the energy of each impact will be transferred by the straps 38 a, 38 b of the chinstrap assembly via the belt 26 to the flexible, resilient components inside the shell. Those structures will thereupon absorb that energy thereby protecting the wearer's head, all as described in my above application.

If the wearer of the helmet 8 should desire to loosen the chinstrap assembly, he need only unfasten one of the buckles 42, 46 and move the corresponding end of the chin protector 22 away from his chin. This will allow the free, incoming segment of that strap to move outward sufficiently to permit the strap to slide through the corresponding fairlead 23 a or 23 b under that pulling force. The chin protector can be returned to the wearer's chin by pulling on that strap and refastening its buckle. Likewise, the helmet 8 may be removed entirely from the wearer's head after unfastening one or both of the buckles 42, 46.

Thus, while the helmet is on the user's head, by pulling outwardly/rearwardly on one or both of the incoming segments of straps 38 a, 38 b, the chin protector may be drawn against the user's chin. Simultaneously, my assembly 20 tensions belt 26 to draw the inner layer 12 away from outer layer 10 and toward sides and rear of the wearer's head.

Since the wearer needs only to unfasten one buckle in order to don or doff the helmet, it is not absolutely necessary to provide a cinching device at each end of the chin protector 22. In other words, one of the straps, e.g. strap 38 a, may be permanently or non-moveably secured to the corresponding end of the chin protector. When donning the helmet for the first time, the length of that strap may be adjusted at its buckle 42. Thereafter, a cinching 22 b operating on the other strap 38 b may suffice to snug the helmet and chin protector to the wearer's head.

Refer now to FIG. 4 which illustrates a chinstrap assembly 70 which is especially adapted to resist or respond to upward forces on the helmet 8 equipped with a facemask M as shown in phantom in that figure.

Assembly 50 includes a chin protector 72, which may be similar to protector 22, connected at its opposite ends to helmet 8 by straps 38 a, 38 b in the same manner described above. Assembly 70 differs from assembly 20 in that it provides a four point connection to helmet 8. That is, it includes a second pair of straps or cables 74, 74 extending between the opposite ends of chin protector 72 and the corresponding sides of helmet 8.

However, instead of connecting the straps 74, 74 to the chin protector ends at more or less the same locations where the primary straps 38 a, 38 b connect to the chin protector as is done conventionally, the distal ends of straps or cables 74, 74 join the chin protector shell 72 at pivot connections 76, 76 located appreciably below the cinching devices 22 a, 22 b. The straps on cables 74, 74 extend upwardly/rearwardly and carry adjustable buckles 78, 78 which may be releasably fastened to snap fastener elements 80, 80 at opposite sides of the helmet shell 10 or to other selected locations on the helmet by other known fastening means. By tensioning the straps or cables 74, 74 via their buckles, the chin protector 70 may be tilted or cocked to the position shown in phantom in FIG. 4 so that it engages more firmly under the wearer's chin. Therefore, if an opposing player should push up on facemask M, the chin protector is pivoted such that the lower edge rotates under the wearer's chin, making the chin protector less apt to disengage from the wearer's chin.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above among those made apparent from the preceding description are efficiently attained. Also, since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It should also be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the general and specific features described above. 

1. A chinstrap assembly for a helmet having opposite sides and a face opening between said sides, said assembly comprising first and second straps having corresponding first ends connected to opposite sides of the helmet and corresponding second ends; a chin protector having first and second ends, and a first cinching device at said first end of the chin protector which simultaneously receives and redirects the first strap so that an outgoing segment thereof extends between the first side of the helmet and the first cinching device and an incoming segment thereof extends between the first cinching device and said second end of the first strap while gripping the first strap so that when a sufficient tensile force is applied to said incoming segment, the length of said outgoing segment may be set to a selected value which is maintained when the tensile force is relieved.
 2. The assembly defined in claim 1 wherein the cinching device comprises a fairlead at the first end of the chin protector which is slidably engaged by the first strap, and means exerting drag on the first strap.
 3. The assembly defined in claim 2 wherein the amount of drag exerted on the first strap by the cinching device varies inversely to the included angle between said incoming and outgoing strap segments.
 4. The assembly defined in claim 3 and further including fastening means for releasably fastening said second end of the first strap to the first side of the helmet.
 5. The assembly defined in claim 2 wherein the fairlead includes a curved bearing surface about which the first strap is wrapped and the amount of drag exerted on the first strap varies directly with the degree of wrap.
 6. The assembly defined in claim 5 and further including fastening means for releasably fastening said free end of the first strap to the first side of the helmet so that the first strap remains wrapped around the bearing surface to a maximum degree.
 7. The assembly defined in claim 5 wherein the bearing surface is a generally cylindrical post bridging a notch at said first end of the chin protector so as to define a gap between said post and a floor of the notch, and the first strap extends through said gap and around said post so that the respective outgoing and incoming strap segments arrive, and depart from, the post substantially tangentially.
 8. The assembly defined in claim 7 wherein the cinching device further includes a biasing device which biases said incoming strap segment into a substantially parallel relationship with the outgoing strap segment as the respective strap segments approach and depart from the post.
 9. The assembly defined in claim 8 wherein the chin protector also includes a liner, and the biasing device comprises a resilient extension of said liner which bridges said notch and resiliently engages said incoming strap segment when said incoming strap segment is pulled in a direction away from the outgoing strap segment.
 10. The assembly defined in any one of claims 1 to 9 and further including a second cinching device at the second end of the chin protector which receives, grips and redirects the second strap in the same manner as the first cinching device receives, grips and redirects the first strap.
 11. The assembly defined in claim 10 and further including third and fourth straps having corresponding first ends connected to said opposite first and second ends of the chin protector at locations thereto spaced appreciably below said first and second cinching devices and corresponding second ends, and adjustable fastening devices on the second ends of the third and fourth straps for releasably fastening those ends to said opposite sides of the helmet. 